The reactions from the crowd ranged from awestruck to almost
worshipful. None of the people approached by this enigmatic young man expected
to see the miraculous that day. But there it was. Undeniable. No doubt most if
not all of them had seen good magicians do great tricks. But this was no trick.
No mere magician could do this. Right there in broad daylight, on a city street
in front of everyone--no wires--he just rose from the ground.

If you were one of the millions of viewers who saw the TV special
featuring magician David Blaine you may have had the same reaction. Watching
this kid approach people on the street and do the seemingly miraculous was an
unsettling experience for many. Instead of focusing on the magician this special
made the onlookers the stars. Their facial and verbal responses to his minor
miracles said it all: Maybe this
guy isn't just a magician. Maybe he really does have supernatural
powers. You could almost see in their faces the challenge to their belief
systems that must have been playing out in their minds and hearts.

As a magician, I like to try to catch as many of the many televised
magic shows as possible. Most are excellent stage productions. But this special
was indeed special. Because this magician wasn't just entertaining people. He
was forcibly challenging his audiences' perceptions of the very nature of
reality.

Not long after the special aired several of my friends approach me
to ask if I had seen the show. Some asked questions about whether there might be
something supernatural--even demonic--about this guy. One friend stated
emphatically, "But I saw him levitate!"

I've seen the same type of reaction from Christians who have
watched David Copperfield do the impossible. One owner of a Christian bookstore
once said to me, when she learned I was a magician, "Well, I know a lot of
Copperfield's tricks are just tricks. But I can't help but think that some of it
is supernatural."

Andre Kole, highly regarded worldwide by magicians as one of the
top three inventors of magic illusions, is a consultant to David Copperfield.
He's also an evangelist with Campus Crusade for Christ and has been sharing the
Gospel with millions of people for over three decades. Over those thirty-plus
years Kole has performed a show featuring many of his illusions during which he
gives a clear presentation of God's plan of salvation. One of his most startling
illusions is a levitation of himself. It's very convincing. So convincing, in fact, that some years
ago a well-meaning woman in the audience stood and attempted to rebuke the
demons out of Kole while he was suspended.

Another well-meaning, but misinformed Christian who publicly
harassed Kole during a performance was the late Dr. Kurt Koch, regarded as an
authority on the occult. He and his associates attempted to convince the
illusionist to renounce his "Satanic powers" during a show in Germany.
In his book Mind Games, Kole comments
on the confrontation: "Here is a man that most of the Christian world
looked to as being a leading authority on the occult, accusing me, a magician,
of having supernatural powers. I was not able to convince him otherwise."

Kole makes this statement in his book, "The unexplained is
usually nothing more than the unexamined." And, in fact, he has offered to
examine anyone's claim of supernatural
powers, offering $25,000 for such a demonstration. So far there have been no
takers. James Randi, a magician and occult researcher, has offered one million
dollars to anyone who can demonstrate supernatural powers under scientifically
controlled conditions. After years this highly publicized offer has never been
claimed. One would think that if, in fact, some humans possess supernatural
powers at least one of them would want to demonstrate those powers and walk away
rich.

There have been many reports of supernatural powers including
levitations. A book, distributed by a well-known Christian publisher claimed
that such a miraculous feat was witnessed by a missionary. But when a Christian
researcher tracked down the missionary he stated that the story was overblown
and that no such feat had taken place.

One of the most celebrated levitations in history was performed by
spiritualist medium D.D. Home during a sťance in 1868. He reportedly floated
out of a third story window and back into another in front of three friends. But
upon further investigation it was found that the details of the men's stories
did not collaborate. And, as with
most seances, the lights were dimmed bringing into question what the men were
really able to see. In addition, it is claimed by some who have investigated
Home that he was adept at suggestion and hypnotism. Yet, to this day,
spiritualists point to this one event as evidence of human supernatural powers.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the creator of Sherlock Holmes, in his book "The
New Revelation," sites the Home incident as one of the convincing
"proofs" that led him to embrace spiritualism.

So what about all of those people who saw David Blaine levitate
within feet of on-lookers. Not to mention all of the other incredible little
miracles he performed like reading people's minds? Well, as a magician, I can't reveal his tricks. But I can
tell you that most if not all of the methods he utilized can be purchased at
your local magic store or discovered in the shelves of your local library. What
made them look so real was not the methods Blaine used, but his marvelous
presentation. People believed that what they witnessed were real miracles
because he presented them as real. He didn't approach those on the street and
say, "Hi, I'm a magician. Want to see a cool trick?"
He simply demonstrated some really strange things that he, apparently,
didn't even understand himself. Combine Blaine's very convincing persona with
the magic of video editing and you have the makings of a modern-day shaman.

Former occultist, John Anderson, who performed many apparent
miracles in his role as the leader of a New Age cult, reveals in his book, Psychic
Phenomena Unveiled:

In all the years of my involvement in the
occult, I never was a witness to even one piece of true paranormal activity. I
saw many things that I believed were of supernatural power, but all were later
proven false. I have thoroughly researched the issue and collected letters and
statements from many of the individuals involved. It is my conviction that
Satan gets far too much credit and free publicity from thousands of sincere
but misinformed people in God's Church. What is demonic is the power of
suggestion that usually accompanies the performance, the lie that you can
develop the "God Power" within. This type of deception leads people
away from the Jesus Christ of the Bible, causing them to focus their attention
on themselves.

Unfortunately, many Christians have consigned to Satan more power
than God has given him despite the fact that there is no evidence in nature or
in the Bible that he has ever given supernatural powers to humans.

When the astrologers in the Book of Daniel were challenged by King
Nebuchadnezzar to read his mind or be put to death, even they responded,
"There is not a man on earth who can do what the king asks." Even
under penalty of death none of them were able to do the "real thing."
What an opportunity for Satan to have demonstrated his powers
by reading the king's mind and giving the information to the astrologers.
But perhaps he didn't because he couldn't.

As recorded in the Book of Exodus, Pharaoh's
court magicians were seemingly able to duplicate the miracles God
performed. But did they really? Dan Korem, a world-class magician and
investigative reporter, who also happens to be a Christian, in his book Powers,
describes means by which the magicians could have counterfeited God's miracles
on a smaller scale. Turning a rod into a snake, for instance, is easily
accomplished by the same method modern day magicians turn a cane into a flower
or handkerchief. I've seen the "cane to snake" performed by magician
Allan Rasco. Believe me, it's impressive. All of the other effects the Exodus
magicians performed can be easily explained by a trained modern-day magician.
But that doesn't necessarily mean that they did accomplish them with trickery.
Could they have actually performed miracles?

The Bible describes the activities of the Egyptian magicians by
using the Hebrew word lahat, meaning
"secret arts." There is nothing in the word or the text to suggest any
supernatural powers. The magicians were seemingly able to turn inanimate objects
(their canes) into a living beings (snakes). They had to have done it one of two
ways; either by trickery or by supernatural powers. We've already seen that
turning a cane into a snake is possible utilizing trickery. If, however, the
magicians actually performed a miracle by literally turning something non-living
into something living, then we have to accept the proposition that these
magicians, or Satan through them, could create life. But God alone is the
Creator, according to John 1:3, Colossians 1:16, and Revelation 4:11. Scripture
is abundantly clear that He has never given Satan that power.

In the New Testament there are two magicians described. Both cases
have been used by some to offer proof of supernatural powers ascribed to men.
The first is Simon the Sorcerer. The Book of Acts chapter 8 tells us he amazed
the citizens of Samaria who called him the "Great Power."
He obviously had quite a reputation. The Greek word mageuo,
used to describe what he performed, simply indicates that he practiced magic and
does not suggest any supernatural powers.
It appears from the text that Simon was just one very good magician who passed
himself off as someone who had powers.

The other "sorcerer" was named Elymas. The account of his
encounter with Barnabas and Paul is found in Acts chapter 13. The word rendered
"sorcerer" is magos and only
suggests that he was considered a "wise man" in the same sense as the
magi or "wise men" who visited Jesus. Elymas is also called a pseudoprophetes--or
false prophet. Again, not the real thing. Paul rebukes Elymas, accusing him of
"deceit and trickery" but not suggesting any supernatural powers.

II Thessalonians 2:9-10 states that when the Anti-Christ comes on
the scene his abilities will be "in accordance with the work of Satan
displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders...."
Note that Satan's own right hand man of the end-times will only be able
to perform "counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders," not the real
thing. Even at this pivotal point in history Satan's tactic is deception, not
miracles.

Is all of this to suggest that Satan has no powers? The Bible is
quite clear that he does possess powers, but that they are greatly limited by
God. We are told in Ephesians chapter 6 to "put on the whole armor of
God" so that we won't fall into Satan's schemes. But nowhere in the Bible
are we told that he has the ability to give humans supernatural powers.

Why is this distinction important to Christians? Throughout
Scripture and in our present time there have been many who have claimed to have
supernatural powers. It is a deceptive seduction to think that we can share
powers God reserves only for Himself. From the time of Eve humans have been
taken in by Satan's lie that we can "be like God."
New Age gurus hold out promises of supernatural powers, like levitation,
to would-be gods. So-called Christian teachers, popularized on television, offer
their followers the promise of performing the miracles of Jesus and becoming
"little gods" by speaking the right words in faith.

One of Satan's greatest powers is the power to deceive--even
Christians who should know better. By ascribing more power to Satan than God has
given him we allow ourselves to be fooled into fearing him. If we believe that
Satan can make people levitate and display all manner of supernatural
manifestations then his power to intimidate us is greatly increased. We then
unwittingly become more vulnerable to his schemes.

Jesus unmasked Satan when he said in John chapter 8, "He was a
murderer from the beginning, not holding the truth, for there is no truth in
him. When he lies he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father
of lies." Satan is a much better liar than he is a miracle worker. If we
are to, "Test everything. Hold on to the good," as we are admonished
in II Thessalonians 5:21, we'd be
well served to understand the truth about the limits of Satan's power in this
world and the limitless power of the God we serve.